explaining_errors_in_star_trekfandomcom-20200215-history
The Eye of the Beholder
' |image= |series= |production=22016 |producer(s)= |story= |script=David P Harmon |director=Hal Sutherland |imdbref=tt0832420 |guests= |previous_production=The Terratin Incident |next_production=Bem |episode=TAS S01E15 |airdate=5 January 1974 |previous_release=The Slaver Weapon |next_release=The Jihad |story_date(s)=Stardate 5501.2 (2269) |previous_story=The Slaver Weapon |next_story=The Jihad }} Summary The Enterprise investigates the disappearance of a scientific team near Lactra VII. The starship Ariel is located there, abandoned, with its captain having transported to the planet's surface. The Enterprise crew beams down to discover a series of unusual environments. On the planet the crew meets the Lactrans, a group of twenty foot slugs with intelligent capacities far beyond their own. Science Officer Spock senses that they are telepathic but communicating at a rate of speed far too fast for the Vulcan to comprehend. The team is captured by the Lactrans to be made part of a zoo collection. Once in the human exhibit, they find the surviving crewmembers of the Ariel, one of whom is deathly ill. Enterprise Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy determines he could cure her easily if he only had access to his medical equipment currently held in a display case just outside the exhibit window. Discussing the problem with the Ariel crew, Captain Kirk comes up with a plan where they all focus their mental images on their need for help, hoping the Lactrans will comply. Their first effort only gains them a supply of food, but a second attempt successfully gets McCoy's medical supplies and he is able to treat their dying comrade. Having seen the success of their effort to get help, Kirk suggests trying to similarly focus on a communicator as an object they direly need. A young Lactran responds, and Kirk signals the Enterprise for a beam-up but the youngster snatches away the communicator at the last second and is itself beamed aboard the ship. The adult Lactrans, not realizing exactly what has happened except that their child has disappeared begin focusing all their telepathic energy on Kirk trying to find an explanation. Aboard the Enterprise, the youth reaches the bridge bearing Chief Engineer Scott in its tentacle. Having probed Scott's mind and processed the ship's entire library system, it proceeds to take the Enterprise galloping out of orbit. On the surface, the other Starfleet officers try to project a mental barrier to protect Kirk from the overwhelming telepathic assault of the adult Lactrans, when the child beams back down still carrying Scotty. The youngster communicates what it has learned, and the adults decide that although still extremely primitive, the Enterprise crew are too intelligent to be kept as zoo exhibits and are set free. Errors and Explanations Nit Central # Chris Thomas on Sunday, November 07, 1999 - 7:57 am Was Markell a Captain? Kirk makes reference to his decision to go after the away team as against every rule in the captain's book. But Markell addresses Kirk as sir, not captain, and later Spock calls him Mr Markell, not Captain Markell. Benn (Benn) on Tuesday, January 09, 2007 - 2:51 am - In his log entry, heard at the start of the episode, Markel identifies himself as "Lt. Commander Markel". Keep in mind, Kirk said, "The Captain of the ship - no matter his rank (emphasis mine) must follow the book." It didn't matter that Markel was a Lt. Commander. What matters is that he was in command of his ship at the time. # Benn (Benn) on Tuesday, January 09, 2007 - 2:51 am: I'm amazed Bones was alive after that dinosaur creature fell on him. I mean, that sucka was huge. McCoy should have been crushed to death by it. The creature may not have been able to lie completely flat. # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Saturday, January 23, 2010 - 2:09 am How the heck did McCoy get covered by the creature's tail? They were all running from the creature. The creature probably brought it's tail round. # Why have Kirk pretend to get sick when they have an actual sick person in the group? A genuinely sick person may not have been able to react to danger in time. Category:The Animated Series Category:Episodes